Bon Ton Cafe

After reading a few reviews and seeing the overall score we headed right down. We made a reservation and walked over from the hotel on our one night stay in the city. I’ll have to say that I was underwhelmed.
Below is a breakdown of our menu for the night:
The appetizer: fried crawfish tails were good. The tails were cooked well; not over cooked and tough as I have gotten elsewhere. The «special sauce» was a mix between ketchup, mayo, horseradish, and a few other things. I did not particularly care for it.
Main course: Crawfish platter with the etoufee, jambalaya, Laurie, and omelette. The portion of crawfish was generous and again cooked properly, however, all of the dishes were under seasoned and bland. The side dish was the «creamed cauliflower» which was steamed or boiled cauliflower with a bland cheese sauce on top. It was not appetizing.
Dessert: the bread pudding with pecan praline ice cream and whiskey sauce. Be warned! The whiskey sauce is almost straight whiskey! The dessert was good. I’m lukewarm on bread pudding in general, so I can’t speak to the quality or a comparison of that to other bread puddings, but the ice team was good and the whiskey sauce was extremely strong with just a hint of caramel. As an adult that enjoys a sip of whiskey, I enjoyed the dessert.

Was recommended by several staff of the hotel I was staying at and they hit the bullseye. My girlfriend and I came here for dinner. Very cozy family style joint. We absolutely loved the jambalaya. Very fresh and decadent. Service is prompt and personal. We had shrimp and crayfish etouffe for entrees. both very good but we would be back specifically for the jambalaya. Great for any occasion!

First bread pudding I’ve ever tasted from here: exquisite. With the whiskey sauce on top: perfection. Not quite sure how much of a «pudding» bread pudding is supposed to be, but this one was firm enough to hold its squarish shape. Filled sparingly with some raisins, which added a nice touch. Just the right amount of sweetness, and was delicious when paired with the whiskey sauce. This ingenious creation boasts a bold, but not overwhelming, whiskey flavor that meets the almost caramel-​like flavor and consistency of the sweeter component.
Service was warm and friendly. We had actually just finished dinner down the street, and were feeling like something sweet to wrap up the night. From the outside, the Café looks a bit shi-​shi, but although the interior was filled mainly with older folks, the atmosphere was casual. We asked if we could simply get the bread pudding dessert to go, as we had already eaten and were merely looking for dessert. The host said of course, and it only took about 5 minutes before we emerged from the café, clutching our precious (and hot!) take-​out bag, and went back to the hotel to enjoy our delicious pudding.

IF THEY ONLY HAD $ 1.50 MARTINIS AT LUNCH
Bön Ton would join the singular ranks of Mr. B’s and Commander’s for the best old-​school New Orleans experience. Here is where you find established waitresses in white starched uniforms, a graciously well-​coiffed owner (classically resembling a mature Callas or Loren), and a décor that is confidently dark and unassuming like a 1950’s neighborhood ristorante.
THIS IS CAJUN NOT CREOLE
When visitors ask me where the best Cajun fine dining is, Bön Ton is my unequivocable reply. All entrées include the house salad (a tangy mustard vinaigrette meal in itself) and a vegetable (for me onion rings are a vegetable). I always suggest the crabmeat au gratin or the crawfish dinner, of which the «Laurie» in sherry cream sauce is my favorite preparation.
BREAD PUDDING!
BREAD PUDDING!
BREAD PUDDING!!!
Considered the best in the city by many local food critics (and me). That might be because the bourbon sauce is so potent we forget all others. But then, how many desserts have their own named plate? — see pic below

This place has inspired my first review; it’s a real hidden gem. The service was rich with southern hospitality. The food was delicious, authentic and quick to the table. The environment had a historic feel to it. Great for lunch!

TIP: parking is very hard to come by near this restaurant. If you’re staying at a hotel within a half mile, just park at the hotel and walk. Or else there is a pay lot on the corner of Magazine and Poydras, but it’s not cheap. I believe it was around $ 10 for 2 hours.
Many reviews said that this was THE place to go for crawfish etouffe, so we came here specifically to try that. People also mentioned a very long wait, but we came in shortly after they opened around 11:15 on a weekday and we were sat immediately. We had called to make a reservation after hearing about the typical wait but they told us they didn’t take reservations for lunch.
My husband had a bowl of gumbo, which had sausage and shrimp, and then the crawfish etouffe. Both were good, and generous with their portions of protein, but he thought they were both pretty mildly seasoned, and just shy of bland. However he did say the crawfish was perfectly cooked as far as not being too chewy or rubbery.
I am not really a seafood eater, so I had a steak. It was well cooked and actually very well seasoned, but a super fatty piece of meat so I ended up not eating about a third of the portion. The side dish was buttered potatoes, and it was literally just a boiled red potato with margarine on it. So, not terrible but less than I’d expect for the price.
Lunch for two (two entrees, one cup of gumbo, and one soft drink) came out to about $ 100 after tip so at that price, I’m looking for a significantly more impressive meal.
I will say though that the service was excellent!

Server was very nice but the food was ojay, especially for the price. Seemed like the food should be better for what we paid. There were several pieces of crab she’ll in my crab au gratin, which was annoying, and the steak was a bit dry. Wine selection was nice and ambiance was nice. They were also oit of soft shell crab. I might try it again of I go back to NOLA.

Went to the dinner here on a Thursday night around 8 PM, with a a couple friends, one being local. he said this was one of the best places to get a good meal and not touristy, but local — and he was tight on both counts.
Food was tremendous, as was the service. Loved the décor and felt like it was a group of locals and not tourists, as he said it would be. bit pricey, but worth it! I got the veal shank, which was out of this world…
Definitely will go back, even with all the options in NOLA — this place is a must eat!

This was my first trip to New Orleans and Unilocal helped me find my last meal in the Cresent City. The Bön Ton Café was everything the reviews said it would be.
The atmosphere was quaint yet elegant, the wait staff was well trained without being stuffy. The food was AMAZING I had the crawfish etufee and it was bueatiful, both for the eyes and the palet. The reviews said the bread pudding was top notch. It. was. perfect!
What a great way to end a trip.
Thank you Bön Ton Café

Absolutely adorable little gem! I stopped in searching for a good Cajun meal and found it. I started my meal with the crawfish bisque which was good, but the crawfish étouffée which was phenomenal. I would recommend this place to anyone visiting New Orleans.

Pipper was an amazing host! Her suggestions on menu were amazing! Sit back, have a Rum Ramsey, and don’t be in a hurry. We loved every minute of the atmosphere and the food did not disappoint! Oysters Alvin and Black Drum were AMAZING. Bread pudding with whiskey sauced topped it off. We will be back.

My last night in New Orleans and after four days of culinary overdrive what was I going to do to top it off… I spent a lot of time reading Unilocal reviews and after much thought decided I would try Bön Ton Café fully understanding that it’s a café, prices will be steep, and it’s not fusion cuisine — it is what it is, creole, seafood, old-​school food served in a classic setting with few pretenses — was just what I was looking for… So wanted to try their gumbo to compare with others I had tried during my trip — although it was spicy, rich, and had many shrimp, the roux was a little watery and wasn’t as deep and dark as others I had tried. For my main course, I had researched this extensively — keep in mind that I love oysters — so, I went with a half and half, Oysters Alvin and Pan Broiled Oysters. The Oysters Alvin are fried and cooked in beef broth (Google them and you’ll see the recipe) — although a little salty, they were delicious. The pan broiled oysters were a little less impressive, but nonetheless tasty. The meal came with a side and I got the vegetables du jour — typical over-​cooked spring vegetables… why can’t they just steam them for a few minutes and then serve them, why do they have to over cook vegetables to the point where they are basically tasteless? OK, rant over! On to dessert — well everyone on Unilocal raved about the Bread Pudding with Whiskey sauce, so I tried it, and thank goodness I was walking back to my hotel or I would have needed to take an Über back — without a doubt the strongest whiskey sauce I have ever tasted — was it good — hard to say because the flavor was so overpowering… The service was outstanding and reminded me of many southern cafes that I’ve visited over the years. With all the great cajun/​creole restaurants in New Orleans, I probably would not try this one again.

* Turtle soup $ 8: Amazing way to start your night
* Crawfish étouffée ~$ 26 was the bomb! You won’t regret ordering this. The portion is a bit small, but it’s still amazing.
* Bread pudding: Competing with Commander’s Palace on my favorite bread pudding spot!

GO FOR THE BREAD PUDDING!!!
And that’s all. It is that amazing!
This place is an institution for a reason. The staff is exemplary. The food is consistently good and the atmosphere is always lively.
Classic old-​school menu of true Cajun cuisine — e.g. gumbo, jambalaya and crawfish étouffée. The Debbie salad is one of my favorites with fresh crabmeat. The crab imperial was amazing and the ribeye juicy and tender. The Louisiana shrimp were very disappointing –and 6 shrimp at those prices is a crime. But I had bread pudding and felt better!
A great place to take out-​of-​towners or meet a business connection for a fun lunch.

I expected a bit better for the price. The food was good, but not exceptional. Nice atmosphere though.

We were one of three tables when we arrived. When we left, the place was packed.
Our hotel concierge recommended this place after we mentioned that we wanted to sample some exceptional etoufee. We were so pleased by her suggestion.
We had fried crawfish/​catfish to start and etoufee for our main course. Both were fresh and seasoned just right. We mentioned that we were celebrating our anniversary and were given a surprise bread pudding on the house! Our server and the rest of the staff were all so kind and welcoming.
We couldn’t have asked for a better experience!

The waiter Matt was amazing! He give me my first taste of Crawfish tails just a pleasureful taste! I ordered a fresh fish with gulf shrimp and a side of potatoes… Let me say the best dish I ever taste. Another dish I would recommend is the eggplant shrimp dish it’s another wonderful dish that has full of taste richness and body. It’s the oldest creole restaurant in New Orleans…
Pros food is amazing
Cons the wine list is triple the cost a 8 dollars bottle cost 30 dollars. Your better of getting a Singular glass of there rum…
Happy eating folks!

When traveling I try to reach out to local Unilocalers for suggestions. Bön Ton Café was one of those and was it worth it !
We were quickly greeted and shown to a nice table in the corner. This place has a lot of history and was decorated for the Christmas Season.
My bride had the Prime Rib with Red Potatoes. I came here for the Crawfish Etoufee and I was not dissapointed. The crawfish were cooked to perfection and the sauce was wonderful. I would rate the the Etoufee at Bön Ton among the best I have had.
I highly recommend you give them a try!

We got to eat here last night and it was very good. Our waitress was so sweet and very attentive. The place was nicely decorated for Christmas and also nice and clean.
I got the 9oz USDA Prime Ribeye. It came with Red Potatoes which write cooked perfect.
My husband got Crawfish Eutoffee and Brussel sprouts. He liked the Crawfish Eutofee but he has had better. The Brussel spouts he got were good, but they were a little over cooked.
This place is worth trying. And like I said, the service was good.

This is an old-​school café with red-​checked tablecloths, snarky servers, and a wait to get a table despite everything being overpriced. The food is decent (catfish tidbits were meh, the crawfish etouffe with rice was good but a bit bland), but the thing to come here for is the Rum Ramsey. It doesn’t taste that strong but will hit you all of a sudden and if you’re not careful, it’ll knock you down. Even if you don’t stay for dinner come to the bar and try a Rum Ramsey.

Large portions are nice and all, but they’re wasted when you have the AC turned up to –1,290 degrees. We were FREEZING the entire time we dined here, and there seemed to be nothing anyone could do about that. Too bad, since the food was actually quite tasty:
Blackened Gulf Fish with Gulf Shrimp: Not enough shrimp, which was disappointing, but the fish was melt-​in-​your-​mouth tender
Crawfish Jambalaya: The real deal, full of juicy crawfish flavor
Crawfish Étouffée and Fried Crawfish: Solid
Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce: Huge and sweet and huge and… did I mention sweet?
Now if the friendly staff could only turn the AC down, this place would be a winner…

Can I just say the food is AMAZING! The customer service is AMAZING! It definitely met my seafood needs! I was in search of great jambalaya and seafood this is the place! We got there at 5 when they open, and I thought it was VERY NICE that they started the night/​our meal w a group prayer! A little pricey, but you will forget that after the first bite! I just wish there were more soda options than Diet Coke, Coke, and Sprite, but that is irrelevant to the Amazing food/​customer service

Invited for lunch yesterday to Bön Ton by a friend. He had a rum Ramsey waiting for me when I arrived. Their signature drink was a nice mix of sweet, sour and rum. The turtle soup is exceptional with real shreds of turtle. I tried my friends bisque too, a very different, not creamy version simmered for hours. Good but a bit salty. The house salad had an exceptionally good vinaigrette. We both ordered the oysters Alvyn. The fried oysters were over battered, but the rice with mushrooms and rich brown butter sauce were wonderful. They served this with a side of onion rings. I tried one which was perfection but took the rest home as… this is a lot of food. My companion said I had to try the bread pudding, and indeed it was some of the best I’ve ever had with a bourbon sauce that had just the right balance. A great experience for this historic New Orleans classic.

Excellent food from the gulf area and incredibly accommodating service. Our server, Pat, helped us split the bill due to some financial constraints. Initially there was some confusion but it was resolved due to the hospitality of the staff.
Thank you Bön Ton for a warm welcome to New Orleans!

The place is very quaint and could be romantic if on a date. A great atmosphere.
The service was extremely attentive and service with a smile. I came during lunch shortly after they opened.
The turtle soup was amazing. The salad that came with my jambalaya was very good with the mustard dressing.
The crawfish jambalaya cannot be explained as to how good it is. The little pieces of meat were plentifully scattered throughout the dish. Sauce was perfectly mixed into the crawfish and rice.
The service went down slightly as they got busy, but still within a reasonable level.
Now onto the Bread pudding; A huge square of bread pudding with ample sauce poured ontop. My spoon went through the custardlike pudding with ease. Finding rum raisins and Carmel throughout. It has a very strong whisky flavor. But very palatable.

Ha. We actually ended up here accidentally. We had just finished dinner at Gautreau’s when I had the idea to see some live music. I knew that a band was probably playing at Les Bön Temps on Magazine, so we hopped into a cab and told the cabbie that’s where we wanted to go.
Well, he misunderstood and we weren’t paying attention (too much chatting) and next thing you know, he pulls up in front of Bön Ton Café. Deciding to make the best of an unplanned situation, we decided to hop out and check the place out.
Well, it’s a full on restaurant, but they do have a bar, so we sat and enjoyed some beer for a little while. The staff seemed happy to have us and enjoyed our little story about going down the wrong path.
After hanging out for a while, they called us a cab and we eventually ended up at the correct Les Bön Temp. Naturally, this is the one day a week that a band wasn’t playing. You win some, you lose some.
I’ll be back at Bön Ton soon to actually eat.

OVERPRICED TOURIST TRAP. The servers lacked attention to detail — and for the prices you’ll pay, it’s absolutely NOT worth it. Go to a REAL high class restaurant if you want to pay big dollars. This place seems lazy, and riding on their «history» and reputation as a «destination.»
Clearly, I am very disappointed with my experience at Bön Ton Café.
My partner and I went for an early lunch on a Monday. Service was extremely slow.
My partner ordered the Gumbo. It was bland and watery. Seriously — horrible. It seemed majorly under-​seasoned. For his entrée: they were out of soft-​shell crab AND the speckled trout, so he got the gulf fish. This was actually OK — but VERY rich. The side salad was OK — but, um — it’s salad.
With my order — I wanted the Crab Imperial. But I was debating between the Crawfish Étouffée and the Jambalaya as well. So I asked the waitress for her recommendation and she told me, «Do ½ Crab Imperial and ½ Jambalaya!» She was so enthusiastic about this! This option wasn’t on the menu and it seemed like a great way to try both. So I went with it.
Crab Imperial: $ 33
Jambalaya: $ 12
(Oh, and the Crawfish Étouffée would have been $ 21.50).
How did my bill total $ 33 for ½ of each of these? I feel like the waitress pushed this on me on purpose — to save a buck.
Crab Imperial was pretty good. Jambalaya — bland and under-​seasoned. Both were VERY small portions.
Also, I eat seafood — but not meat. I made this very clear — which is why I was extremely disappointed when the veggie of the day (mustard greens) came out with bacon on it. She couldn’t have mentioned this when I was ordering?
I left hungry and angry.
Horrible service. Mediocre food. High prices.
I don’t mind spending money on QUALITY food. This was NOT QUALITY.
But at least the space is intimate…

I went during the lunch. I was there 15 minutes earlier than their opening yet they let me sit and wait inside until the opening of the restaurant. Their entire staff was excellent and even gave me the recipe of their bread pudding and salad, etc.
Food was excellent also. Crawfish etoufee had more crawfish than any of the other famous New Orleans restaurants I have been to.

Bright cheerful place a couple blocks out from the French Quarter. Serves Cajun food — the native cuisine of the countryside to the west — more than the local Creole. I made a meal out of a sampler, with catfish fingers (perfectly tender and lightly cooked), jambalaya (a Cajun spiced one, very different from the Creole jambalayas), and gumbo (which was actually more Creole than the Cajun gumbos I had out west).
Everything was good, and so was the service, even though the waitress also had to attend to some other, very populated tables.

KEEP IN MIND IT’S A CAFE
This café is incrediably busy till the doors close at 10 pm. New Orleans’ popular and older establishments. Two plaques by the kitchen door commemorate two forty years employees which says a lot about the business and family ownership. if you ask anyone who has lived in New Orleans, they will tell you that they have eaten at Bön Ton Café.
Turtle Soup one size (cup)… very good especially with the splash of the sherry
Salad Bön Ton (small) with vinaigrette dressing… the spicy mustard gives it a zest
Shrimp Étouffée with Parsley Buttered Rice and chose onion rings as the vegetable… the pictures taste better and so it was a let down.
Server Beth provided a saucer of the dipping sauce used with fried catfish and crawfish.
Finished the evening with the Bread pudding with whiskey sauce and butter pecan ice cream. no one is counting the calories and a mile walk won’t help. hee hee.
Even with a reservation, it took an extra half an hour to settle down and start our meal. Ignore the crowd and noise level… cause no one seems to care.

The main dishes here are fine — good examples of very traditional New Orleans cooking. Redfish with crab and butter. Crawfish étouffée; fried crawfish, etc. But these dishes are besides the point.
That’s because the bread pudding here is possibly the best non-​French dessert I’ve had in a decade. I suppose on one hand if you pour cream onto bread, and then add whiskey sauce, it’s almost always going to taste good. But Bön Ton’s is a cut above any bread pudding I’ve ever had. Impossibly rich, to be sure, but delicious. The sauce is monstrous — the whiskey is barely tamed, but you don’t want it to be.
So come here; order something light for lunch, and don’t share dessert.
PS: They have chicory coffee, obviously. Get that with the pudding.

This is a NOLA institution. Every one I asked about where to find the traditional New Orleans style cuisine has pointed me to Bön Ton Café. The only issue was that they don’t open on the weekends. I waited until the last day of my visit — Monday — to lunch here, before I got on my plane home.
We ordered the essentials:
Jambalaya was nicely executed with andouille sausage dotted within the morsels of rice.
But I was here for the étouffée… Our server suggested the combo which offers both the shrimp and crawfish etoufee on one dish. The sauces were a little different and after trying them both, I’ll have to say, I loved the texture of the crawfish étouffée a little better, but the shrimp étouffée wins for the flavor.
The side of greens was also very tasty with smoky bacon cooked right into it.
If you’re looking for authentic, old school Creole/​Cajun food this is it!

Randomly stopped in here when while passing on the street I helped a couple take a photo of themselves in front of the sign. Asked them if this was a good place to eat, and they gushed about it, so in we went.
Service was a little wonky, but sweet. Our server was helpful and fun, but a little absent minded. Given that the food was so good, I didn’t even mind. She pointed me right with the Rum Rickey cocktail to start. I recommend you do the same.
Gumbo with the stuffed crawfish head, oh-​my-​gawd good. The soft shell crab was fresh that day, and I went to town on it. Had half orders each of the Crabmeat Imperial and the Crabmeat Au Gratin. I preferred the Au Gratin, a lot more cheese and flavor to it.
To wrap it all up we head the bread pudding with butter pecan ice cream and the whiskey sauce. Kids, a word to the wise: that whiskey sauce is no joke. It’s strong. If you are averse to alcohol, you might do to avoid it. If you’re all about your decadent food and a liver punch, then it’s go time.

I don’t think people, or even Unilocal!understands how much of a help this app is for me when friends (mostly visitors) are constantly asking for places to go and things to do around town. I rely on my bookmarks a lot, it’s great for knocking items off that checklist and exploring new places myself. It’s not always i get to be a tourist in my own city, and this app is more so my tour guide.
Anyway… all that to say… had a visitor and we were in dire need for nourishment nearby. It was one of the top choices in the area from the bookmarks, and one that’s been on my mind a lot so it was meant to be for paying a visit.
We got there around 5:30 ish, no reservations, but apparently we got there just in time because when we walked in, there were only a couple tables occupied, but by the time the first glasses of wine hit our table, the place had just about filled up.
I ordered the combination plate of the crab imperial and crab au gratin and sweet baby Jesus! I was not ready for all that goodness bestowed upon me. Everything was divine but that crab au gratin: Prescious! I felt bad because my friend wanted more of it when I let her try but I learned from her review that I was being stingy with the c.a.g. (you would be too).
Also helped ourselves to the bread pudding dessert with pecan ice cream on top. It was a crime how good that bread pudding was. Like its not even fair. If they don’t have one of the best bread puddings around, someone please tell me who’s better!